Head Case
by laoisbabe
Summary: Set after the series ended, Brian and Samantha have broken up. With Jack and Sam growing closer again, Brian re-appears and does his best to ruin their happiness. Slight A/U.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N – Its been a while since I've written a WAT story. Nice to be using the characters again. This story is set after final episode. Slightly A/U or maybe not…we'll never know? Thanks to my fab BETA, Diane, for all her hard work.**

**Disclaimer: Tragically, I do not own the rights to any of the characters of WAT. I just like to borrow them once in a while :-)**

Chapter 1

Jack couldn't help but smile as Finn chuckled heartily each time he blew raspberries to him. Finn was over one year old now, more active and getting stronger and sturdier every passing day. Jack loved spending time with Sam's little boy, especially because it usually involved spending quality time with his mom. In the months since Samantha's split from Brian, Finn's father, he and Samantha were growing increasingly closer. The lovely thing about where they stood in their lives and their relationship, at that moment in time, was that there were no expectations weighing them down. They had been around the block a few times before. Now they were just going with the flow and enjoying each other's company. For Jack, it meant a break from the monotony of spending his free time alone in his apartment, fretting about the whereabouts of his teenage daughter and wondering what she was up to. For Samantha, still hurting from her breakup, it meant she had the support of another as she tried to raise her young son. It had been a trying few months for her. The split with Brian, when it eventually came, was acrimonious but Jack was there for her when she needed a friend most. And as things currently stood, that's all they were: friends.

That particular afternoon, Jack was babysitting Finn in Samantha's apartment while she met an old friend, from her training academy days, for lunch. Jack had just finished changing Finn's diaper and was struggling to re-dress the kicking infant when the doorbell rang. He was sorely tempted to ignore it but then thought the better of it.

"Who could that be?" he said to the little guy as he picked him up in his arms. "Maybe Mommy's home early?"

Holding Finn securely in one arm, Jack peered through the peephole in the door. He recognised the man on the other side of the door as Brian Donovan, Samantha's ex. Great, he thought with sarcasm, as he undid the security chain and opened the door.

"Brian," Jack said in bland greeting, forcing a smile.

"Jack," Brian said coldly. He was trying in vain not to let his dislike for Jack to surface. It didn't help that Jack was holding his son and apparently now filling the role that he once occupied. "Is Samantha in?" he asked.

"No, sorry, Brian. She's at lunch with a friend," Jack said, hoping that would be enough for him to turn around and leave.

"That's okay, I'll wait," Brian said, brushing past him and crossing the threshold uninvited.

Holding the baby in his arms, there wasn't much Jack could do to stop him and he didn't want to make a big issue of Brian's presence for Samantha's sake. Put up and shut up, he thought to himself as he closed the door behind him.

"Hey, Buddy," Brian said playfully, reaching out and taking Finn out of Jack's grasp. "You've got so big."

Jack relinquished the child, stood back awkwardly and watched with a twinge of jealousy as the father bonded with his son once more. What else could he do?

"Eh, Sam shouldn't be much longer," Jack said, trying to fill the noticeable silence. "She said to expect her back by three or three thirty."

"Cool," Brian replied, returning his attention to his son.

Tolerantly, Jack sat back in an armchair while Brian made himself comfortable on the sofa with Finn on his knee. Jack carefully observed the younger man as he innocently played with his son. Sam had confided in him about some of the problems they had experienced before they separated, including the main reason why she had broken off contact with Brian. Jack wanted to thump the little twerp there and then for putting Samantha through what she'd been through the last few months. But the baby was present and he'd made a promise to Samantha not to lay a finger on him. He intended to keep his promise to her. Jack suspected that there may be more to the breakup than Sam had let on, though. He was convinced that Brian was into something that maybe Samantha didn't approve of or was embarrassed by; otherwise she would have told him. Brian looked more gaunt than usual, Jack noticed, and his appearance was noticeably more unkempt. The first thing to enter Jack's mind was drugs; whether he was an addict or not, he was into something sinister. Jack had no doubt about it. As he sized Brian up, his discomfort grew.

Unknown to Jack, Brian's mind was slowly saturating with envy and hate for the federal agent that sat across from him. He saw Jack as the reason Sam had dumped him. She was working all sorts of hours, night and day. He was her boss. It was convenient that all the late nights were spent with him. Brian had grown suspicious and challenged Samantha about her commitment to their family. She was defensive and hurt by his allegations. She told him to stop being paranoid and that was when he lost it. He hit her. It had happened before he realised what he was doing and he regretted it every day since. But with that singular slip up, he had lost her. She kicked him out and told him if he came near her again that she would press charges. So he stayed away, until today. He had actually come to beg forgiveness and plead for another chance.

But now, seeing Jack Malone so comfortable in her apartment, he began to believe that he had been right all along and that she was the liar and cheat he suspected she was. She swore to him that there was no one else, yet there he was, sitting in _his_ favourite chair, looking after _his_ son, sleeping with the woman _he_ loved. How could she do this to him? He practically had to beg to see his son these days and she never let him take him out alone. It wasn't right. He was Finn's father and he was entitled to play a role in his life. But now she and Jack were apparently together from what he could see and they were conspiring to squeeze him out of the picture. He knew he had to stop that from happening. If she wanted Jack Malone so badly, if they wanted to play happy families together, that was fine but their happy family would not include _his_ son. Irrational thoughts coursed through his addled brain. He raised his eyes and glared at Jack. Jack noticed the cutting glare and tried to deflect it with hospitality.

"Can I get you some coffee or something?" Jack asked, almost aching from forcing himself to be nice to the jerk.

"Eh, sure, coffee would be good," Brian replied, as he leaned forward and placed Finn sitting on the floor among his toys.

His eyes followed Jack as he made his way into the kitchen area. He turned and looked around the apartment, remembering the good times he had spent there. He stood and walked aimlessly around the living area. Then he saw a photograph that Samantha had framed on the sideboard. It was one of the three of them taken a few months after Finn was born. They looked so happy. They were a family back then. Now it was all gone and that made him angry. His rage was reaching boiling point. Beside the picture stood a decorative pewter sculpture, an obelisk that Sam used as a bookend. He picked it up and felt its significant weight in his hands. He turned his head and glanced towards the kitchen where Jack, the source of his anger, was busy inside preparing their beverages.

"Do you take it black?" Jack shouted from within.

"Yeah – one sugar though," Brian replied as he walked towards the kitchen, the sculpture hidden from sight down by his side.

When Brian reached the kitchen area, Jack was standing with his back to him, obliviously pouring the coffee. Jack shifted slightly, sensing Brian's presence but he had no inkling of the peril he was in. He was about to speak when Brian struck. Jack felt a sudden impact to the side of his head, the shock of which caused him to drop the coffee pot, shattering the glass and spilling its scalding contents onto his legs and the kitchen floor. He staggered, grabbing at the counter top to stop him falling, only to be struck again. This time the blow brought the curtains down on his senses and he crumpled to the ground in an unconscious heap. Brian stood over Jack's inert form, feeling a rush of adrenalin. Watching as he bled onto the floor, he realised that he may have actually killed him. It wasn't his initial intention but it wouldn't be a disaster as far as he was concerned. So indifferent was he that he didn't even bother to check. Jack Malone was not high on Brian Donovan's list of priorities.

He dropped the obelisk on the floor beside Jack and walked out of the kitchen, leaving Jack sprawled face down on the floor. With purpose, he hurried into Finn's bedroom and packed his diaper bag with supplies. He grabbed some cartons of formula, a bottle, as well as spare clothes and one or two play things. With the bag on his shoulder, he returned to Finn, who was sitting happily on the floor, chewing on one of his toys, oblivious to the violence that had just transpired. Brian picked him up, wrapped him in a blanket and headed for the door. There was no one in the corridor outside, so he closed the apartment door behind him and continued toward the elevator, making good his escape. He had his son. now he had everything he wanted.

TBC

_**A/N - well, no surprises for those of you who are regular readers of my fics. Whumping is part of the course! Reviews, comments always appreciated!**_


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Samantha Spade strolled along the city sidewalk, smiling as she recalled the conversation that she and her good friend Rachel had shared over lunch. She had really enjoyed catching up with her again. It had been an age since the two had spent time together. The last time she saw Rachel, Finn wasn't even born. She missed not having her friend around anymore. It would have been nice to have her there to talk to, especially after she broke up with Brian. But Rachel was now assigned to the Baltimore office and was only in town for the weekend to visit relatives. They shared a lovely lunch together and chatted and Sam showed off her photos of Finn. It was great to meet up again, she thought as she ambled home.

Sam looked at her watch and realised that it was way past three thirty and was conscious that she had told Jack that she would be back home by then. She felt a little guilty. Jack had always been so kind to her, but even more so since Finn was born. He was her rock. However, she didn't want him to think that she took him for granted, so as she was passing Rosella's Bakery, she called in and picked him up a sweet apology before continuing the three blocks to her apartment.

She climbed the two flights of stairs and stood outside her apartment door, rooting in her handbag to find her keys. Having located them, she turned the key and let herself in.

"Sorry I'm late," she called in to announce her return. "We kinda lost track of time."

There was no reply. She thought it odd that no one was home, but considering what a nice afternoon it was, she presumed that Jack had taken Finn for a walk in the park. Stripping her jacket off and hanging it up, she saw the child's stroller outside his bedroom door and realised that wasn't the case after all. She hung her handbag on the coat stand beside her jacket.

"Jack? Are you here?" she called, kicking off her shoes and throwing them into her bedroom as she walked down the short hall towards the living area, a box of cannoli in hand.

Odd, she thought, as she wandered into the living room and looked around. Then she noticed something out of place on the sideboard. The ornament that her sister had given her the previous Christmas was missing and her picture of her, Finn and Brian was lying face down. Strange, she thought, why would Jack do that?

"Hello? Jack, you here?" she called again, not really expecting an answer.

Sighing, she put down the box with the cannolis and looked over to the lounge area where she noticed Finn's blanky on the floor in front of the sofa. As she bent down to pick it up, through the corner of her eye, she saw something odd near the breakfast bar: feet, shoes to be exact. She instantly knew something was wrong. She rushed into her tiny kitchenette and balked at the sight that greeted her. Jack lay face down in a puddle of spilt coffee, broken glass and congealing blood.

"Jack! Oh my God! Jack, can you hear me?" she yelled as she knelt beside him.

There was no response. She tenderly placed her hand on his shoulder as she took a deep, preparatory breath. Then she felt his neck for a pulse. It was there and surprisingly strong, much to her relief. She rolled him onto his side and placed him in the recovery position. She looked around the kitchen and then hurried back out to the living room. There was no sign of Finn. With growing alarm, she ran to the child's bedroom, hoping to find him in his crib but he wasn't there. Panic started to take hold. She couldn't think straight.

"Jack, where is he? Where's Finn?" she bawled, running back to the kitchen.

"Jack!" she cried loudly, hoping to rouse him.

Again she knelt beside him, this time physically shaking him, in an effort to wake him. He didn't move. Then she realised how crazy she was acting and started to see sense. Jack needed help. She grabbed her cell phone and dialled 911. She explained as calmly as she could to the 911 operator that she needed an ambulance and the police. Then as she explained to the operator that her child was missing, her distress grew. The operator told her to remain calm and promised that help was on the way. Sam begged them to hurry and hung up. She returned her attention to Jack and the gaping wound on his head. She reached for a clean towel from the laundry hamper and gently covered the wound to try and stem the bleeding. She realised that her hands were shaking as she held the towel. She had never been so scared in her life. Not only was Jack hurt, but her son was missing.

All sorts of thoughts were flashing through her mind. Where was he? Who would do this? She recalled that the door wasn't damaged when she entered, which led her to presume that whoever did this was invited in. That was good, right? That meant that they probably wouldn't harm Finn, didn't it? It had to be someone Jack knew or someone Sam knew, otherwise Jack wouldn't have let them in. But why would somebody take Finn? Why would they take her son? And as she asked herself question after question and tried to make sense of it all, she had an epiphany – Brian!

It had to be Brian. How could he do this? He must have lost his mind. Attacking a federal agent, kidnapping; he really had lost it as far as she was concerned. This type of outburst was exactly what had pushed her to end their relationship in the first place. She had seen a side of him that he hid very well, but she always suspected that he was capable of lashing out.

The sirens of the approaching ambulance interrupted her train of thought as they grew louder on the street outside. She felt some relief knowing help was imminent.

"You're going to be okay, Jack," she said, trying to comfort him despite her own personal upheaval. "Help is on its way."

However, her maternal instinct ultimately took over and she knew she couldn't be there for both Jack and Finn. She had done all she could do for Jack, now she had to help her son. She took out her cell and called Brian's number. It rang and rang but he didn't answer. Son-of-a-bitch, she thought. She knew he was ignoring her calls. She then called Vivian and explained what she had come home to and what she assumed had happened.

"I need your help, Viv," she pleaded.

"Of course, Sam. Is Jack okay?" Vivian enquired with concern.

"He's unconscious. The ambulance is on its way," Sam explained with composure.

"Okay, I'll call the rest of the team and get someone over to you ASAP," Viv told her. "Send me Brian's details and I'll run down cell phone and credit card activity when I get to the office. We'll find him, Sam."

"Thanks, Viv," Sam said gratefully. She was startled by a sudden loud knock on her door.

"Paramedics, can you open the door please?"

"I've got to go Viv, the paramedics are here," Sam said, urgently signing off.

She ran to the door and let them in.

"He's in here," Sam said, showing them to where Jack lay.

One of the paramedics knelt down beside Jack, checking his pulse. The other remained by Sam's side.

"Is this your husband, M'am?"

"Oh, no. We work together. He was looking after my son while I was at lunch," Sam explained nervously.

"And you just found him like this?" the paramedic asked curiously.

"Yeah, I got back about ten minutes ago," Sam replied.

"And where is your son?" the second paramedic asked, looking around the living room.

_I wish I knew._

That was when Sam broke down and sobbed inconsolably. The two paramedics exchanged enquiring glances.

"Is your son hurt, Miss? Where is he?" the paramedic insisted, worried that the child had been injured.

"He….I don't know," Sam weeped. "I think someone took him."

The paramedics looked at each other in disbelief. What the hell was going on, they wondered. The medic kneeling beside Jack continued to work expertly, securing an oxygen mask over his nose and mouth before placing a gauze bandage over his head wound. He tried talking to Jack, hoping to get a response, but there was none. He pressed his knuckles into Jack's sternum in an effort to rouse him but again there was nothing.

"He's unresponsive to pain," he said to his colleague as he shone a light in Jack's eyes. "Pupil's sluggish and dilated."

"What does that mean?" Sam asked fearfully.

"It means that he may have sustained a serious head injury. We need to get him to the hospital," he told her as he got to his feet.

As he and his colleague were preparing to lift Jack onto the gurney, the police arrived. Detectives from the local precinct introduced themselves to Sam.

"I'm Detective Quincy and this is my partner, Detective Kellerman. Would you like to tell us what happened here?"

Samantha sighed deeply and put her hand on her forehand as if trying to wipe this whole nightmare away. Then she saw a friendly face among the strangers that were filing into her apartment. Special Agent Martin Fitzgerald walked through her door, showing uniformed officers his ID. He introduced himself to the detectives before hugging Samantha. He got a shock when he saw the paramedics wheel Jack through the hallway and out of the apartment.

"How is he?" Martin asked Sam.

"Not good. I should go with him," she said, still very emotional.

"I'm sorry, Agent Spade, but we need to take your statement," Detective Kellerman told her. Martin nodded, understanding that the detectives had a job to do.

"I'll go with him to the hospital if you like. You stay and help the detectives. He'll be okay, Sam," Martin assured her.

"Thanks, Martin," Sam said appreciatively. "Why did he do this? Why did he take Finn?"

"Who?" Martin asked, rightfully confused.

"Brian. It has to be Brian. How could he hurt Jack like that?" she wondered in disbelief.

"I don't know, Sam," Martin replied, shaking his head.

"Who is Brian?" Quincy interjected, eager for answers.

"Sam, talk to the detectives. Explain everything. I'll call Elena to come over and keep you company. I gotta go," Martin said, rushing to catch up with the paramedics.

"Thanks," she whispered as he disappeared out the door.

Martin hurried down the stairs and caught up with the paramedics as they were placing Jack in the back of the ambulance. Showing his ID and explaining that they were friends and colleagues, he asked to ride with them, which they duly allowed.

"Is he going to be okay?" Martin asked the paramedic who accompanied Jack in the back.

"Hard to say, head injuries can be unpredictable," he replied truthfully.

Martin nodded. He knew exactly what he meant. He feared for his boss. What if this was a life-changing injury? The fact that he was still unconscious worried Martin. It took Martin back to the time he had found Jack, half drowned with a bullet hole in his chest a couple of years ago. They almost lost him back then. It was a time he would never forget. Seeing Jack so vulnerable was unnerving. The wailing sirens dulled his thoughts and brought him back to the present. He couldn't think straight. All he could think about right now was the ailing man in front of him.

The rest of the journey to the hospital was a blur. The ambulance screeched to a halt after a matter of minutes. Almost as soon as they stopped moving, the doors of the ambulance burst open and there was a flurry of activity. One minute Martin found himself consumed by a crowd of medical personnel rushing into the ER, the next he found himself standing outside a trauma room, alone, trying to peek in every time a nurse or doctor opened the door.

Meanwhile, Samantha was being questioned by the two detectives in her apartment. With each probing question she became more agitated. What good were questions? They should be out there finding her son. The irony, she thought, realising how many times a missing person's family member had yelled that very same suggestion at her over the years. But still the questions came. She tried to tolerate them and answer as best she could. She knew the answers could provide important information in finding her son. At one point, she strained to see over the detective's shoulder as the CSU team began to examine her kitchen, dusting for prints and bagging the obelisk that lay on the kitchen floor.

"Agent Spade," Kellerman said, trying to regain Sam's attention.

Sam looked back at him, disbelief and shock etched all over her face.

"I asked how long you and Agent Malone have been in a relationship," Kellerman asked repeating his question.

"Relationship? Me and Jack? No….we're not….I mean sort of. We're taking it slow," Sam said, embarrassed having to reveal intimate details of her life to strangers.

"Taking it slow, eh? So what happened? Did he get tired of waiting?" Quincy cruelly asked, with a dubious look in his eye.

"Excuse me?" Sam exclaimed in disgust.

"Did he try to force it on you and you fought back?" Quincy asked, his tone accusatorial.

"I don't believe you! My son is missing and you're trying to conjure up a motive for me to assault Jack. Unbelievable!" Sam snapped, her patience dwindling.

"You didn't answer my question," Quincy replied, not relenting one bit.

"No! Jack did not come on too strong. I wasn't even here. Now will you get up off you friggin' asses and find Brian Donovan?" Sam yelled, getting boldly to her feet.

"Sit down, Agent Spade," Kellerman ordered crossly.

Sam glared at him in defiance. There was a moment of sheer tension between the two, which was thankfully broken by the arrival of Special Agent Elena Delgado.

"Is there a problem here?" Elena asked, giving Sam a brief hug.

"They think I did this to Jack. Can you believe it?" Sam told her, not disguising her contempt for the two detectives seated on her sofa. "They haven't gotten to the part where they accuse me of harming Finn yet."

"That's ridiculous," Elena agreed. "Have you explained about Brian?"

"Well, I tried," Sam said crossly. "I think they have target fixation."

"Have you finished with your questions?" Elena asked the detectives. They looked at each other briefly before nodding that they had.

"For now."

"Let's go then, Agent Spade," Elena said with authority. "The FBI will be taking over, as we are dealing with a probable kidnapping."

"Fine, but don't go too far, Agent Spade. Domestic assault is still our jurisdiction and we will be continuing our investigation," Kellerman told her menacingly.

"Why don't you do your job and I'll do mine," Sam said, turning her back and grabbing her handbag from the coat stand. "I have to find my son."

_TBC_

**_Hope you like it so far. Thanks for reading!_**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Samantha and Elena strode from Sam's apartment with poise and confidence. When they reached the lobby of the apartment block, Samantha could not maintain her tough outer façade any longer. Her tears began to fall with a vengeance; tears of frustration; tears of a terrified mother. Elena, who walked ahead of Samantha, noticed that she was lagging behind and turned around to see what was the matter. She witnessed her friend falling to pieces before her eyes and knew she had to intervene.

"It's gonna be okay, Momma," she said in her own inimitable way, putting her arms around Sam and pulling her into a comforting embrace. "If Brian has Finn, at least we know he won't hurt him. He loves Finn."

"If he loves him so much, why is he doing this?" Sam retorted, her anger and frustration bursting through.

"I don't know. He's obviously not thinking straight," Elena said, trying to make sense of it all.

"That's what I'm worried about. I just can't believe this is happening. My baby….and, oh God, Jack. He has to be okay," Sam said, dabbing her tears with a tissue.

"He will be. Do you want me to take you to the hospital to check up on him?" Elena asked as they continued on towards her car.

"I don't know. I should go to the office and help find Brian," she replied, sounding unsure of what she should do.

"Look, Viv and Danny have already started tracing his movements. You might feel better if you check on Jack first," Elena suggested.

"Okay…okay, yeah, that would be good. Thanks," she said hesitantly.

While Elena and Samantha drove towards St. Michael's Hospital, Vivian and Danny were busy pulling Brian Donovan's life apart. They were scouring through work records, DMV history, credit card usage and phone bills, anything that would give them an idea where to start looking for Sam's ex. They had found his last known address and current place of employment. It was a start at least.

Back at the hospital, Martin waited anxiously outside the Trauma Room. The doctors had been in there with Jack for what felt like forever and no one had told him anything. In his frustration and seeking answers, he accosted the next unfortunate person, who exited the trauma room.

"What's going on in there?" he asked the pretty nurse who was rushing past him.

"They're working on your friend. I'll ask someone to speak to you in a moment," she replied, brushing by him and not at all intimidated by his brashness.

Martin turned away, cursing under his breath. He already knew they were working on Jack. She offered nothing new. He needed to know how it was going. He was growing more and more frustrated and increasingly worried each minute that passed. He was still pacing when Elena and Samantha arrived. Sam spotted Martin on the corridor outside the Trauma Room and hurried over to him, her eyes wide with expectation and hope.

"Martin?" she said hesitantly. Martin noticed her pained expression.

"They're still working on him. I don't know anything yet," Martin told her truthfully.

"Is he conscious?" Elena asked, having heard about his situation from Samantha on the journey to the hospital.

"I don't know," Martin replied, his exasperation evident in his tone. "Any sign of Brian?"

"Not yet. Viv and Danny are at the office trying to track his movements," Elena told him.

She had just finished her sentence when the door of the Trauma Room opened and a doctor emerged looking sombre. They all turned towards him anxiously.

"Jack Malone?" he said, just checking that they were in fact who he was looking for.

"Yes. How is he?" Martin and Sam said almost in unison.

"Mr. Malone regained consciousness briefly but is drifting in and out still. X-rays show that the blow to his head caused a compound linear fracture of the occipital bone in his skull. This type of fracture should heal by itself and won't require surgical intervention. There is some associated brain swelling, which would explain his confusion and agitation, but thankfully no internal bleed. He's a lucky man. It could have been a lot worse," the doctor explained.

"Swelling? Isn't that serious?" Samantha asked apprehensively.

"It can be, but we are treating him appropriately and will be closely monitoring him for any signs of complication," the doctor explained with confidence. Sam nodded, gladly accepting the doctor's prognosis.

"So, can we see him?" Samantha asked eagerly.

"We'll be admitting him for observation for a few days, so he'll be transferred to a room soon. You can see him for a couple of minutes before we move him if you wish, although I must warn you, he probably won't even know you're there. He's still pretty out of it," the doctor told her.

"Okay, thank you," Sam said, her voice a mix of relief and anxiety.

The doctor led Samantha through the Trauma Room doors and into the sterile surroundings of the Trauma Room 2. She desperately wanted to see Jack's chocolate brown eyes greeting her, but her wish wasn't to be granted just yet. He lay on the gurney, eyes closed, apparently resting comfortably. However, the evidence of his ordeal was all too visible. His freshly stitched scalp laceration looked raw and ugly against his recently shorn hair. Dried blood remained matted in his hair and stained down the back of his neck. A nasty-looking bruise was forming on one side of his face. On his upper lip rested a nasal cannula. He was breathing easy and didn't seem to be in any pain, Sam noticed with some relief.

Sam approached him tentatively. She stood close to his head and looked at him intensely, willing him to open his eyes. She reached and took his hand in hers, taking care not to disturb the IV line that was inserted into the back of it.

"Jack," she whispered. "I need you to wake up, Jack. I need you."

She bit her top lip as tears welled in her eyes. She managed to remain composed, however. She wouldn't, couldn't allow herself to fall to pieces. There was too much at stake. She needed to find her son. She knew Jack would know what to do. She needed him to tell her exactly what had happened and hopefully it would lead her to find Finn. Time was ticking by and the longer Jack remained unconscious, the further away Brian was getting and the further away her son was getting.

"Please, Jack," she urged him to wake, to help her.

But Jack never stirred.

He was lost somewhere in the darkness, striving to find a way out. In the expanse of his densely clouded mind he could hear a familiar voice, Samantha's voice, calling to him and he was driven to find her. Despite being unable to determine what her voice was saying, an air of sadness pervaded. However inhibited his senses were, he could tell something was wrong. She needed him. He couldn't let her down. He wouldn't. He continued his silent struggle through the muddled mire of his mind, clawing his way back towards cognizance to find her.

Various medical staff buzzed around the room, preparing their patient for transport. It wasn't long before Sam was asked to step outside while they moved Jack to a room. She waited in the corridor with Elena and Martin and looked on as they wheeled Jack towards the elevator. His friends were told they could follow him to the third floor and wait in the visitor's area until he was settled into his room.

Martin, however, had taken a call from Vivian while he had been waiting with Elena. Viv had given him the details of Brian Donovan's last known address. Danny was already on his way, so Martin agreed to meet him there. He explained this to Elena and Sam as they walked towards the elevator. Sam was torn. She desperately wanted to take an active part in tracing Brian and Finn, but she also felt hugely responsible for Jack being hurt. If Jack hadn't been so good to her, if he hadn't been in the apartment when he was, if she hadn't left things so up in the air with Brian, Jack would never have ended up in the hospital. She had to trust her team to find her son. She decided that her place, for the moment, was to be there for Jack when he woke up.

As she was settling on her decision, her cell phone rang. She answered it quickly, hoping it was Brian calling back. But it wasn't. It was Hanna, Jack's elder daughter, who had been living with him for over a year.

"Oh, hi, Sam. Is my Dad with you?" she asked sounding chirper. "He isn't answering his cell."

"Hanna," Sam said immediately, her stomach flipping.

How was she going to tell her what had happened? She paused, carefully considering how best to break the news without panicking the young woman unnecessarily.

"Hanna…..I'm at the hospital. You dad has… had an accident. He's going to be okay, but they want to keep him here for a day or two," Samantha explained, trying to disguise her own fears.

"What? Oh my God! What happened? Is he okay? Can I speak to him?" Hanna asked, her mind going into overdrive.

"He was knocked unconscious and had to get some stitches," Sam told her truthfully, yet deliberately not elaborating. "The doctor's with him now so he can't come to the phone. We're at St. Michael's Hospital," Sam advised.

"St. Michael's? I know where that is," Hanna replied. "I'll be there as soon as I can."

Sam ended the conversation and looked over at Elena, who was giving her a critical look.

"What? She's just a kid. I couldn't tell her that her Dad has a fractured skull over the phone, could I?" Sam said in her defence.

"I'm not saying anything," Elena said, not wanting to get into an argument with Sam. "Come on, let's go see the boss."

Meanwhile, at Penn Station, a rugged looking young man stood beneath the Greyhound destinations board with a little boy in his arms.

"So, where do you fancy, little man?" he said, adjusting the baby bag on his shoulder.

"Washington? Pittsburgh? Hmmm, Buffalo maybe? All right little guy, Buffalo it is. Good choice. They say it's nice there this time of year."

He checked his wallet. He knew he didn't have much cash and was painfully aware that the authorities could trace his credit card transactions. He decided to take out the maximum his ATM card would allow before he walked with his son to the ticket desk. He purchased a one-way ticket to Buffalo. He was getting out of the city, away from the noise.

_**TBC**_

_**A/N - thanks for your reviews. Hope you like it so far. **_


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Martin caught a cab back to Samantha's apartment and picked up his car before driving across town to meet Danny at Brian Donovan's apartment.

"Hey," Martin said, greeting his colleague who was standing, waiting for him, outside the entrance to the building.

"How's Jack?" Danny enquired, justifiably worried about his boss.

"It looks like he's going to be okay. That punk Donovan fractured his skull he hit him so hard. He could have killed him," Martin fumed as they started up the stairs.

"I don't know what Sam ever saw in him," Danny commented as he followed Martin. "Apartment 2C," he said, guiding his colleague to the address.

"This way," Martin said at the next landing, as he logically followed the numbering sequence.

The two agents stood outside the door of apartment 2C, one on either side of the door. Danny knocked loudly.

"Brian Donovan!" he shouted. "FBI, open the door."

They both listened intently for any sound or movement but they heard nothing. Martin and Danny exchanged glances. They didn't have a warrant and knew they couldn't legally enter the apartment unless they had probable cause.

"Did you hear that?" Danny asked his partner.

"Hear what?" Martin asked looking puzzled.

"I thought I heard a baby crying," Danny lied conveniently.

"You did?" Martin said, listening intently before he realised Danny's ploy. "Oh, yeah, I think heard something too."

With that, Danny stepped back and put his entire weight behind a kick to the door. The lock gave way and the two agents entered, weapons drawn. The apartment was small and dingy and decidedly unkempt. It was a far cry from the comfortable place Brian used to share with Samantha. It only took a few seconds to make sure they were all clear. Then the two agents got to work, looking for anything that would lead them to Donovan.

Elena and Samantha were allowed to sit with Jack once he was settled into his room. He lay motionless on the bed, the back of which was slightly elevated. His pallor was pale, but at least he appeared to be resting comfortably. As they sat, Elena asked Sam about Brian, hoping to get some insight into where he was going or what he was going to do.

"Has he relatives in the city, someone he could go to?" Elena enquired.

"Not that he ever mentioned. They live out of state," she told her. "Maybe he'd go to a friend? Dave Tomasz is a friend of his that I've met a few times. He lives on Staten Island I think. I don't really know. He had some friends at his old job; we could check with them," Sam suggested.

"Don't worry. Viv's already arranging that," Elena told her. "I'm still shocked that you think he did this to Jack. Has he ever been violent before?"

Sam cringed at the question. She didn't really want to air her dirty laundry to her friend, but she knew that they needed to know the true Brian if they were to find Finn.

"Yes," she replied honestly, trying to hide her humiliation. "That's the reason why I broke up with him. I saw a side of him that I didn't like."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Elena apologized. "I had no idea."

"It was good at the start. We were happy. We had Finn and things were going well. Most guys feel intimidated by my job, but he seemed fine about it. He accepted that I had certain responsibilities, but after the accident he grew to resent that I was away a lot, working long hours. Then he started accusing me of seeing someone else, but it was all in his head. He grew more and more paranoid. I tried explaining that there was no one else, but it all came to a head one evening when I got home late again. Finn was in bed and Brian was in a temper. I don't know what brought it on, but we got into an argument and he hit me. I swore that I would never let any man hit me, especially not in my own home, so I told him to get out," Sam explained. "He apologised, begged to stay, but I wasn't having it. I would never forgive him for that."

"You should have said something," Elena said. "At least told somebody."

"I did, I told Jack….. eventually," Sam replied. "Of course, he came over all "knight in shining armour" and wanted to rough Brian up for me, but I managed to talk him down," Sam smiled, remembering that conversation and Jack's bravado.

The two agents chuckled, each knowing exactly how Jack would have dealt with Brian. Sam turned back towards Jack.

"He is going to be okay, isn't he?" Sam asked, resting her hand on Jack's.

"Of course he is," Elena replied. "It will take more than a bump on the head to keep Jack Malone down."

Danny and Martin continued to search through Brian Donovan's personal belongings. Martin had found his passport in a drawer and drew some comfort from the fact that he at least couldn't take Finn out of the country. As he continued his search, Martin heard Danny call him from the bathroom.

"What is it?" Martin asked, joining him.

"Look at these," Danny said, lifting some pill bottles from the medicine cabinet.

Martin read the labels. Klonopin and Effexor – the names of two anti-depressants Martin recognized, a couple of others that he didn't. There was also quite a collection of prescribed pain meds. Obviously Brian was going through some stuff. Martin remembered his own battle with prescription meds and almost felt sorry for Donovan. He knew that Brian had sustained serious injuries in the car accident the previous year and obviously wasn't fully recovered.

"I wonder does Samantha know," Danny asked, as if reading Martin's mind.

"I've no idea," Martin replied. "She never mentioned it but then again, would you?"

"I guess not," Danny replied, bagging them for evidence.

They continued on with their search, collecting bank statements, address books, anything they thought pertinent to the case.

It didn't look like Brian had been back to his apartment in the hours since he took Finn, so they made a call and arranged for some agents to watch the apartment in case he returned. They headed back to the office with the evidence they had gathered and hoped that in their hands they held the keys to finding Brian Donovan.

_**A/N - a short chapter this time. Small, but necessary. Next one very soon.**_


	5. Chapter 5

**_A/N - here's another chapter because the last was so short. Thanks for all your comments!_**

Chapter 5

Hanna Malone arrived breathless into the ER, fretfully asking the receptionist to direct her to her father. She followed the receptionist's instructions and hurried to the third floor and room 315. She recognised Agent Delgado on her cell phone outside the room and acknowledged her with a nod and brief wave. When she entered the room, she wasn't surprised to see Samantha Spade sitting beside her dad, looking anxious and shaken. Samantha stood up as soon as she saw Hanna and walked over to the young woman, putting her two arms around her and hugging her affectionately. Hanna's eyes, however, were quickly transfixed on the pale replica of her father, lying motionless in the bed.

"Oh, God! He looks terrible. How did this happen?" Hanna asked, unable to hide her shock. She released herself from the hug and approached her father's bedside.

"We're not exactly sure. I found him like this in my apartment," Sam told her truthfully.

"Did he fall or something? I don't understand…..," Hanna said in confusion.

"He was looking after Finn," Sam began, sensing the building surge of emotions. "Finn is missing. I think someone took him," she managed to say before the dam collapsed and her tears fell freely.

"What? Oh my God?" was all Hanna could say.

Sam sank back onto the seat and her shoulders shook as she sobbed in despair. Hanna couldn't believe what was happening. Despite her concern for her father, she reached out and tried to console Sam as best she could, but she could only imagine what she was going through.

As the two women cried and consoled each other, they were surprised to hear an unexpected groan and noticed slightest of movement from the bed beside them. They both turned towards Jack expectantly.

"Jack?"

"Daddy!"

Jack's forehead creased in obvious discomfort as he struggled to open his eyes. The glare of the lights scuppered his first attempt and he couldn't help but squeeze them closed them again. He felt a soft hand slip into his and give it a gentle, reassuring squeeze, which encouraged him to make a second attempt. This time he managed to open his eyes and keep them open. However, focusing was another challenge. Everything was a blur. He could only make out the silhouette of a figure or possibly two figures standing over him, he couldn't be sure.

Despite the comforting hand in his, a deep sense of foreboding descended upon him as he greeted consciousness. He slowly began to realise that he was in the hospital again. He knew the sounds and smells of hospitals all too well, having spent several days in the ICU following his shooting almost two years ago. The looming figures were speaking to him, but so far his brain couldn't process what was being said, so he made no attempt to reply. He put all his energy into focusing his eyesight. Slowly, his vision cleared and he found himself looking into the tear-filled eyes of his eldest daughter.

"Daddy!" she said, smiling through her tears.

"Han?" Jack croaked weakly.

"You're okay, Daddy. You're in the hospital," Hanna said, knowing how confused he must be.

"Wha'….happened?" Jack asked, his voice noticeably slurred.

Samantha and Hanna exchanged concerned glances. Sam tried to remind herself that he had a head injury and slurred speech and confusion were hopefully temporary side effects.

"You were knocked unconscious," Hanna told him, not really knowing much of the details herself. "Do you remember anything?"

Jack's brow creased once more as he tried to summon the memories forth. He shook his head, barely. There was nothing. It was all a blank. Sam and Hanna could see his concern at not being able to remember.

"It's okay. It will come back to you," Hanna told him, offering comfort and hoping she was right.

Samantha eventually spoke up. She was still counting on Jack to remember what had happened. It was important. She needed to know for sure who had her son.

"Hey, Jack," she said gently stroking his forehead, all the while trying not to seem too eager for answers.

Jack smiled groggily and tried to focus on her.

"You were at my apartment," Sam told him, hoping to jog his memory. There was an empty silence until Jack broke it.

"Sorry," he mumbled.

"Sorry? Sorry for what?" Sam asked, hoping he had remembered something after all.

"Eh…not sure. Seemed like the right thing to say," Jack said, his confusion causing him to question his sanity.

Nothing was making sense to him. Strange, jumbled thoughts and images were darting through his mind. Nothing seemed to relate to the other. His gut told him there was something important, something he had to do but he couldn't remember what. He just sensed it was important.

"I have to go," he said, attempting to sit up and instantly regretting raising his head from the pillow.

The sudden movement sent daggers through his brain, which caused him to cry out in agony. Stars danced before his eyes. His stomach flipped and he was sure he was going to throw up. Sam recognised what was coming and reached for a bowl that was on a table close by. She placed it under his chin just in time as he vacated the contents of his stomach. Hanna couldn't help but flinch and turn away as he threw up. She wasn't used to seeing her father under such trying circumstances. Sam leaned in to support Jack, placing her hand behind his back and once he had recovered, she gently lowered his head back to the pillow.

"Well, that wasn't very clever," she said, wiping his mouth with a tissue.

Jack agreed with a nod, swallowing down deliberately and trying to cope with the unappealing taste in his mouth.

"Sudden movement and concussion don't usually mix," she reminded him. "You actually have a skull fracture, Jack, so you won't be going anywhere in a hurry. You probably have one hell of a headache."

That he did. Jack lay back and closed his eyes briefly, breathing deeply to fight off the lingering effects of the nausea. Samantha poured a cup of water and offered it to him, which he sipped gratefully.

"Skull fracture?" he said once he had regained his train of thought. "How did I…?

"Someone hit you over the head," Sam told him. "Do you remember anything?"

"Was I at your place?" Jack wondered.

"Yes, yes you were," Sam replied, feeling a little excited that he remembered that much but then realising that she had mentioned it only moments earlier.

"I had Finn?" he asked, seeking reassurance that it was the case.

"Yes, I went to lunch with Rachel and you were looking after him," Sam reminded him, stifling a sob as she did so. Jack noticed this and began to worry.

"Where is he? Is he okay?" Jack asked with a look of panic, realising that if he had been looking after Finn when he was injured, then the child could have been hurt too.

No one replied. Hanna and Sam looked at one another, wondering whether or not they should tell him. Jack saw their exchange and could only think the worst.

"No," Jack said softly. He began taking deeper, quicker breaths again as panic set in. "No," he repeated. "What happened to him? Where is he?"

Eventually, Hanna spoke up, realising that it would be too difficult for Samantha to go through it all again.

"Daddy, Finn is missing," she told him, holding his hand once more.

The tightness in his chest convinced Jack that his heart was slowly being crushed as the enormity of her words hit him. He laid his head right back on the pillow and looked up towards the heavens and tried to breathe. _Please God, no. _

"This isn't your fault, Jack," Samantha told him sympathetically, knowing Jack better than most and realising that he would blame himself.

Jack didn't respond. He continued to stare at the ceiling, hoping his visitors couldn't see the tears forming in his eyes. How could Samantha forgive him? Her son was missing and it was his fault. He didn't deserve her forgiveness. The child was in his care which, in his mind, meant he was responsible. Still nothing made sense. His head ached as he concentrated on remembering what happened.

_No matter how you look at it, I screwed up and now __Lord knows where the little guy is._

His daughter studied his expression as the news of the little boy's disappearance sank in. She knew that the pain in his face was not only physical pain. He was hurting, deep inside. She couldn't stand seeing him like this. She had only even known her dad as this strong, confident man who made her feel safe when he was around. Yet lying in front of her, she could only see him as human, a man who hurts, a man who gets scared, a regular guy. She realised that it was her turn to be the strong one because she had no doubt that he was going need her, however this all turned out.

_If only I hadn't answered the door. If only I…__the door. Brian! Brian was at the door! _

It was coming back. He opened the door to Brian. At least he thought he did. It was all a bit hazy, yet it seemed right. Brian was there. After that, it all goes fuzzy.

"Brian came by," Jack said, his gaze disengaging from the ceiling and meeting Sam's. "He was looking for you. I told him you were out and he said he'd wait."

"I knew it!" Sam announced. "It had to be him. Oh, Jack, I'm so sorry you got caught up in the middle of this. I should never have put you in that position," Sam said apologetically. She kissed him on the cheek. "I have to go. I need to get to the office," Sam told him.

"Sure," Jack said drowsily, the effort of remembering taking its toll on his energy level. "Find him."

"I will. Look after him, Hanna," Sam said, as she gave her a quick hug and hurried out the door. Hanna wished her luck before settling down beside her father.

"Do you want me to call Mom?" Hanna asked, noticing how Jack was struggling to keep his eyes open.

"Huh?" Jack mumbled.

"Mom, should I call her?" she repeated.

"No need….'m fine," Jack said, obviously losing the battle against his exhaustion.

"Sure you are, Dad," Hanna smiled, rubbing his forearm affectionately. "Sure you are."

Jack slipped easily into what would be a restless sleep. As he dozed, his dreams were haunted by desperately disturbing images of small children, some dead, some horrifically injured, each pleading for him to find them. They were all held captive by this shadowy figure in a cabin in a forest. Jack searched the woods, desperately trying to find the cabin, but he was lost. He was spun around as the crying voices pleaded for help. Then through the trees he spied a little toddler rambling aimlessly through the trees. Jack called out to the boy, but the child was scared and started to run. Jack followed him calling to him not to be afraid, but the little boy disappeared. Then Jack heard the sound of flowing water. He followed the sound and found it easily. He was horrified to see the little boy he chased, lying face down in the brook. Devastated, he picked the child from the water and laid him down on the bank, tears tracing down his face. It was then that he recognised the child. Finn!

With that shocking image scorching his mind, Jack woke with a start, sitting up suddenly and panting for breath. Eyes wide and staring straight ahead, it took him a few moments to realise where he was and that he was dreaming.

"Daddy?" Hanna said, jumping to her feet and reaching out to him. It broke her heart to see him this way. "It's okay. I'm here. It's only a dream."

She put her arm around him and gently pulled his head close to her chest, stroking his hair, doing her best to comfort him as the parent and child roles were reversed. She held him until his breathing regularised and he relaxed.

"Have you heard anything about Finn?" Jack asked as soon as his breathing relaxed. He felt a little embarrassed to have his teenage daughter see him in such a state.

"No. Nothing yet," she replied.

"What time is it?" Jack wondered.

"A little after midnight," Hanna replied. "You should relax, try and get back to sleep."

"So should you," Jack said, looking at her proudly. She really had matured into an intelligent, beautiful young woman. "Go home. I'll be fine. Anyway, I could do with you bringing me a few things from home in the morning. They kinda ruined my clothes."

Hanna looked at him, reluctant to leave him. Jack could see her aversion to the notion of leaving him and knew she needed convincing.

"Seriously, Hanna, I'm fine. I'm really tired and I'll sleep better knowing you're at home getting some rest too," he insisted.

"Okay then. I'll take a cab but I'll be back first thing in the morning," she told him. "So, what do you need?"

With that, Jack listed out some basics including a change of clothes and some toiletries. Soon Hanna was gone and he was left alone. His memory was still patchy, but one thing he was sure of - this was his fault. He should never have let Brian into the apartment. Now he had to think of a way to make things right.

**TBC**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N - thanks for sticking with this story and for your reviews. Here's the next installment, especially for Kimberleah on her birthday!**

Chapter 6

It was late by the time Brian Donovan found a motel with a vacancy. Holding his sleeping son in his now aching arms, he kicked the door closed behind him and looked with disappointment around the tatty room. At least it was clean, he thought, as he placed his son gently on the queen-sized bed. He looked down at the exhausted child. The bus ride had been hell. Finn was cranky and off-sorts, so Brian decided to get off the bus only a few hours into their journey and looked for somewhere to stay for the night. He needed a break and was so glad that Finn had finally worn himself out. He lay down beside the child, realizing how tired he felt himself. He knew that in the morning he would have to get baby food and formula because he had only one of the cartons left. As he lay there, he considered the events of the day and began to realize the trouble he was in. He was convinced that he had killed Jack Malone and presumed that the might of the FBI and the police would be looking for him. He was a fugitive. He would have to be clever and knew that he had to find a more permanent place for him and his son. Buffalo was still his intended destination. It was a large city, which should make it easy enough to disappear in. It was close to the Canadian border, which gave him options in case of emergency. He considered trying to cross the border and wondered how difficult it would be. He decided that he needed to come up with a plan. Everything had happened so quickly in New York. He hardly had time to think before he found himself on the run. But wherever they ended up, at least they could be a family, he thought as he rolled towards his son and lay there watching him sleep.

The FBI building in Manhattan was quiet because of the late hour. Samantha and her colleagues were exhausted. For hours they had been chasing down Brian's paper trail and following any and every lead they had uncovered. Sam was extra worried, having only discovered that Brian was undergoing treatment for anxiety and possibly depression also. Whatever it was he was suffering from, she now worried even more because he had left his meds at his apartment. They had tried getting in touch with his doctor, but so far they had been unable to reach him. They hoped to have more luck in the morning and find out exactly what they were dealing with. But to Sam, the morning seemed such a long time away. She wanted her son. She could have done with a cuddle from Finn at that stage. Sitting alone at the meeting table, she started to well up, wondering if she'd ever get to cuddle her son again. She contemplated how a day that had started off so perfectly ended up being such a nightmare. She feared how it would all end.

Her concerns were exacerbated knowing what Brian had done to Jack and recognizing that he was suffering from an as yet unconfirmed mental illness. She feared what was going through his mind if it had driven him to this. Or was he thinking straight? Had he planned this all along or was it a crime of opportunity? She knew from investigators in her apartment that he had the where-with-all to pack a bag for the baby, which gave her little comfort. She didn't know which was worse, if Brian knew exactly what he was doing when he hit Jack or if he was off his meds and unaware of his actions and the consequences.

"You should get some rest," a kind voice said with concern, jolting Sam out of her musings.

It was Vivian. She placed an understanding hand on Sam's shoulder, a reminder to the shattered agent that she wasn't alone through this.

"I don't think I could sleep, Viv," Sam replied with a forced smile.

"Well, even if you don't sleep, you should lie down on the sofa in Jack's office, recharge your batteries," she suggested. "You'll need to stay strong... for Finn."

Sam knew Viv was right. There was no point driving herself into the ground and then not being able to do her job or fulfill her role as a mother. She needed a clear head, so she gave Viv's hand a gentle squeeze and thanked her before going to Jack's office. As she entered, she paused momentarily just inside the door, looking at Jack's empty desk and realizing that she could have lost him today. It sent a shiver down her spine and she gave thanks that at least he was going to be okay. She walked over and sat down on the sofa. She pulled a chenille throw from the back of it and made herself comfortable. She hoped she might sleep, but knew that it was most unlikely.

She couldn't stand the thought of her young son, out there, somewhere, without his mother. She missed him. Her thoughts wandered and she recalled how shocked she was when she first realized that she was pregnant. Being a single mom was not part of her life plan. She had a vision for her life. She was going to be successful in her career and if she found the right man, she would settle down and start a family when the time was right. But her unplanned pregnancy quickly blew that idea out the window. Pregnant after a one-night stand, how irresponsible, she thought at the time. But then Brian turned out to be a nice guy, or so it seemed at the time. He wanted to be part of their child's life and Sam realized that maybe she didn't have to do this alone. Her child would have a father. Finn was born and life was good. Then after the car accident, in which Brian was so seriously injured, she found herself feeling responsible for him and while nursing him back to health, she slowly began to fall for him. It was around then that she and Jack decided to call time on their budding relationship. The timing was wrong for them yet again and it seemed for the best. She wanted a chance at being a family. And it was good while it lasted. Brian slowly recovered from his injuries, Finn loved having him around. Samantha went to work every day and Brian would look after Finn and even have dinner ready for her when she got home. It was more than she could ever have hoped. And then things seemed to change as quickly as they had blossomed.

Brian ended up missing out on the overseas job he had been offered before the accident. Then he struggled to find another comparable position. He started to get depressed, often saying that he couldn't support his family working as a barista. Sam tried to be patient and offered as much support and encouragement as she could, but slowly he sank into despair. Interviews were few adn far between. He was stuck in a rut. Then the paranoia started. At first it was little snide comments that Sam laughed off, presuming he was joking with her. But then the comments became more cutting and spiteful and some nights he wouldn't even talk to her. It became very stressful and she knew their happy-ever-after was going to come crashing down.

And when it did, it came down with a bang. The night he hit her, she lost it. She defended herself vigorously, going so far as reaching for her weapon. She pointed it at him and demanded that he leave her apartment. He apologised profusely and cried, begging for forgiveness, but there was no way Samantha was going to allow a cycle of abuse to begin. She had seen it too often in her job, women making excuses for spouses and allowing themselves to become victims. She would not go down that road. She thought she had made the right decision. It was so hard at the time, but she made it swiftly and decisively. She told no one for ages what had happened but then eventually confided in Jack. He reacted angrily at first but quickly realized that she didn't need to have her mistake rubbed in her face. He wanted to find Brian and teach him a lesson, but Sam begged him not to. She knew he wouldn't forgive Brian either, but he listened to her wishes and left him alone. Instead, he stood by her and when she needed a friendly shoulder to cry on, he was that friend. Lately, though, things were starting to look up for them. They still had that connection and had become closer than ever again. She was starting to realise that the man for her had been in front of her all along.

Now, she had to concentrate on her boy. She feared her decision to kick Brian out may have cost her her son. He could be anywhere. He had been missing for hours. Parents vanished with their kids all the time. She prayed that this would not be the case in this instance. She couldn't bear to lose her child.

She lay back on the sofa and tried to dismiss such unimaginable thoughts from floating around her head. She attempted to rest, but it was useless. She just lay there, staring at the ceiling, praying for strength. In the early hours of the morning, Martin arrived into the office and roused her.

"I think we have something," he told her, waving a printed sheet of A4 paper as he spoke.

"What is it?" Sam asked eagerly.

"Brian used his ATM at Penn Station. I'm on my way down there now with some agents to canvas the area. Someone must have seen him," Martin told her.

"I'm coming with you," Sam said, throwing off the blanket and standing up, straightening her clothes as she did so.

Penn Station was eerily quiet when they entered, although this was only to be expected. There were little or no departures due at that hour of the morning. The two agents called to the manager's office and explained the reason they were there. They showed him the printout from the bank and explained that Brian Donovan withdrew four hundred dollars from an ATM in the station. Martin asked the manager to show them the security camera footage from the time of the withdrawal. The manager was happy to oblige. Martin then enquired about the cashiers and looked for information regarding their work shifts. The manager informed them that the employees currently working the ticket desk had been in since 9 pm the previous night. The ATM withdrawal had been made at 8.20 pm, which meant that the cashier at the ticket booth from whom Brian purchased his ticket had gone home.

They would have to rely on the security footage for now. The manager took them to the security office and arranged for the tapes to be played back. There were multiple views available, but they concentrated on the ATM footage and the ticket sales desk. They had been watching for a minute or two when Samantha piped up: "There! That's him."

Martin and the security officer acknowledged her and paused the frame.

"Can we see where he goes from here?" Martin asked eagerly.

"Sure," the officer replied, playing the footage again.

They watched as Brian put his wallet back in his jacket pocket, shifted the weight of the baby on his hip and then turned and walked away. He headed in the direction of the ticket desk. The security officer switched the tape and fast-forwarded to the same time stamp as the previous tape.

"Desk 5," the officer told them. "The teller is Janine Winslow," he said, looking at the employee roster.

"Have you got a number for her?" Samantha asked keenly.

"I can get it," he said, getting up and returning to the manager's office, the two agents following him.

He gave them the number and Martin wasted no time in contacting Ms. Winslow. He called her, apologising for the early hour. He explained what was going on and why he was calling. To his relief, she remembered Brian and Finn. She had remembered the little blonde boy smiling and grabbing his daddy's wallet while he tried to pay. He was anxious to know if she remembered where he was going. To his relief, she was confident in her reply and told them that he purchased a one-way ticket to Buffalo. Martin thanked her and then relayed the information to Samantha.

"Buffalo?" she said with confusion. "Why Buffalo?"

"Has he relatives there?" Martin enquired, expecting that if anyone would know, Samantha would.

"Not that he ever mentioned," Sam replied. "When does the bus get in?" she asked the manager.

He looked up the schedule on his PC and told her that it was due in at 5am.

"That's in a half hour," Sam said, looking at her watch.

"I'll call the police department in Buffalo and have him detained," Martin said with determination.

While she should have felt relief, Sam heart was weighed down with a feeling of dread. Buffalo was so far away. She could get a flight in the morning she thought, silently planning the quickest way to get her son back into her arms again. There was nothing more she could do right now. She would have to wait for confirmation that they had Brian in custody before she could relax.

As she and Martin returned to his car, Sam decided to share her fears.

"What if Brian doesn't come in quietly? What if he resists?" Sam said, as Martin drove.

He looked at her, unable to imagine exactly how she must be feeling.

"He'll do what's best for Finn," Martin told her, knowing that it was what she wanted to hear and hoping it would be true. "He won't risk running."

"What if he does, Martin? He's not taking his meds, probably not thinking clearly. What if he hurts Finn?" Sam asked, feeling sick at the thought.

"Don't go there, Sam," Martin said wisely. "They'll detain him and Finn will be home before you know it."

"I hope so," she said gazing out the window as the dawn broke over Manhattan.

The Greyhound bus pulled into the main bus station in Buffalo fifteen minutes late. Two FBI agents stood and watched as the passengers alighted the bus. The passengers filed passed the agents as they collected their luggage. Each agent held a photo of Brian Donovan in their hand as they examined the passing faces. Soon, the bus was empty and there was still no sign of Donovan or the child. They entered the bus and checked the rows of seat in case he had seen them and was trying to evade them, but he wasn't there. They called after the driver, who was walking away from the bus. They showed him the picture of Donovan and described him to the driver.

"Yeah, yeah, I remember him. The kid cried for hours before they finally got off the bus," the driver told them.

"They got off? Where?" the agents asked.

"Em, Binghamton, I think it was," the driver told them.

"Binghamton?"

"Yeah, a few people got off there. I'm pretty sure he was one of them," the driver told them.

The agents thanked him and then make the unenviable phone call to the Manhattan office. They were aware that the child involved belonged to one of the agents based there. They knew the news would be met with disappointment.

The whole team waited anxiously at the meeting table in the bullpen. The bus should have been in by now. Eventually the telephone rang at Agent Johnson's desk. She took the call from the agents from Buffalo. She listened intently and then thanked them, deliberately avoiding making eye contact with Samantha. There was an air of expectation when she hung up the phone. Everyone studied her expression, trying to gauge what was happening.

"They weren't on the bus," she announced with disillusionment.

"What? What do you mean they weren't on the bus?" Sam asked, her voice confirming her distress. "We know they got on the bus. It was on the tapes."

"I know, Sam. But as far as the driver can remember, they got off after a couple of hours," Vivian told her.

"Where?" Sam demanded to know.

"Binghamton," Vivian replied.

"Binghamton? Why Binghamton?" Sam wondered.

Vivian shrugged. She had no idea. She could only make assumptions.

"It was late. Maybe Finn was tired or hungry and they stopped for something to eat or a hotel? Who knows?" she guessed.

Samantha nodded, hoping it was something so simple.

"How long will it take me to get there?" Sam asked, looking at the other faces sitting around the table.

"Three hours, maybe four," Martin replied. "I'll drive," he said, knowing that they couldn't allow Samantha go on what could turn out to be a wild goose chase on her own.

"Okay," Viv said, nodding towards Martin. "Liaise with local law enforcement in that county and, Martin? Keep in touch."

TBC


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

While Martin and Samantha drove towards Binghamton, Jack Malone was waking to the sounds of a busy hospital as it slowly came to life. He had slept quite soundly for most of the night, with the exception of the occasional night terror. His pain meds were wearing off and he was becoming increasingly aware of the throbbing in the side of his head. He hoped that the nurse would be around soon to give him a top up of painkillers. His stomach still felt queasy, so he assumed that he was still suffering from the effects of the concussion or maybe it was the meds. He'd no idea and didn't really care.

He checked his watch. It was a little after 7 am. He realised that he hadn't heard from Samantha since she left the previous night. That worried him. It meant that they probably still hadn't found Finn. He desperately wanted to call her, but his cell phone was most likely still in her apartment. It wasn't among his personal belongings they had left in his room. All that he had was a bloodstained t-shirt, now only fit for the trash, his jeans, socks, shoes and his watch. He hoped that Hanna would come by early that morning because he had asked her to bring him some fresh clothes. He had no intention of staying cooped up in that hospital for any longer than necessary. He needed to be out there looking for Finn. He still couldn't shake that feeling of responsibility or the guilt that gnawed away at him. He convinced himself that he was feeling much better than he actually was and had no intention of lying in that bed while Samantha and the team tried to find the child without him.

He threw back the bed sheets, disconnected the saline drip from the cannula in the back of his hand and slowly put his feet to the floor. Taking a deep breath to prepare himself, he stood up. A wave of dizziness engulfed him almost immediately and he quickly turned back and grasped the bed for support. He clung on until the dizziness dissipated. His legs felt shaky, but he knew that there was no way they would let him leave the hospital unless he was able to walk out on his own two feet. Another deep breath and he shuffled carefully towards the adjoining bathroom. Grateful to have made it the short distance, he grabbed onto the sink and for the first time he caught a glimpse of himself in the bathroom mirror. He turned his head slightly to allow himself a better view of his head wound. He cringed, sorry he had seen it. It was unsightly, to say the least. His cheek was a combination of purple and yellow bruises. It was swollen and it looked like he'd been in a fight. As he stood examining his injuries in the mirror, his vision began to blur. He clung onto the sink, hung his head and closed his eyes. More deep breaths and then some cold water splashed on his face helped a little. The dizzy spell passed and he decided to use the other bathroom facilities before returning to his bed.

As he sat back on the edge of the bed, he acknowledged inwardly how much that small exertion had taken out of him. The last time he felt so weak was after he had been shot and he decided to go looking for Jen Long. He felt nauseous again as he tried to get comfortable back in bed. He lay back down, grateful to be able to rest once more. It wasn't long before he was asleep again.

When he woke he was surprised to see Hanna sitting in the chair beside him, reading a magazine.

"Good morning," she said, smiling as he turned towards her. "How are you feeling?"

"Much better," he said, embellishing the truth considerably.

"Did you sleep okay?" she asked.

"Like a baby," he replied. "I had a little help, though," he told her, referring to the cocktail of medication he was taking.

"Good. I'm glad. You'll heal much quicker if you rest and take it easy," she told him, sounding a lot like her mother.

Jack smiled, recognising the similarity but knowing that Hanna might not appreciate him drawing attention to it. He decided to keep it to himself.

"Did you bring my things?" he asked.

"Sure did," Hanna replied. "In that bag over there," she said, pointing to a hold-all that she had left near the bathroom door.

"Thanks," he said gratefully.

With that he started to get out of the bed once more. This time he stood up quite convincingly, he thought.

"What are you doing?" Hanna asked, unable to mask her concern as she watched him climb out of bed.

"I'm getting dressed," Jack told her as he walked shakily towards the bathroom door.

"Eh…no, you're not," Hanna said, trying to sound definite.

"I have to get to the office," Jack told her by way of explanation. "I'm losing my mind lying here, wondering where Finn is. I lost her little boy, Han. I have to find him."

"Dad, you're in no fit state!" Hanna insisted. "You can hardly stand."

"I'm fine," he snapped crossly, bending to pick up the bag and almost toppling over.

Luckily Hanna was close by and caught him by the arm.

"You see?" she said, hoping he would relent.

He just gave her one of those 'don't you dare give me attitude' type looks before entering the bathroom and closing the door. Hanna cursed under her breath at his stubbornness. She wanted to call her Mom but knew there was no point. She was too far away to do anything and it wasn't like he was going to listen to her either. She decided to get a nurse or doctor or someone who could convince him not to leave the hospital.

Inside the bathroom, Jack sat on the toilet seat and removed the hospital gown. He carefully put on the t-shirt that Hanna had packed for him, over his injured scalp. Still seated, he put on fresh boxers and trousers before standing up to fasten them. His head was pounding now as his blood pressure rose. He managed his socks and then put on some sneakers. He stood in front of the mirror again and brushed his teeth. Slowly, he began to feel human again. By the time he was finished in the bathroom, Hanna had returned to the room with back-up.

"Mr. Malone! I don't know what you think you are doing, but you get back into that bed, right this minute!" Nurse Batista ordered.

Jack glared at his daughter and then at the imposing nurse.

"I have to go," Jack told her, trying not to be rude.

"You will do no such thing," the nurse told him. "You are still under observation. You suffered a serious head injury and could still suffer complications as a result."

"Well, if I start to feel unwell, I'll come right back," Jack said, trying to out-smart her.

"You might not get time. You could drop down dead," the nurse told him, trying scare tactics instead.

Jack raised his eyebrows but chose to ignore her exaggerations.

"I'll sign whatever you want, but I'm walking out of here and you can't stop me," Jack insisted doggedly.

Unfortunately, the nurse knew he was right. They couldn't hold him against his will. He could discharge himself AMA and they could do nothing about it. She shrugged her shoulders in defeat. Hanna was disgusted and disappointed with both her father and the nurse. Not only that, but she was scared. Could he really drop dead like she said? She most certainly did not want that to happen. What could she do?

It took a few more minutes for Jack to get packed up and ready to leave. All the while he was subjected to Hanna's scowling face. She was now apparently not talking to him. He hated when she got like that. Whenever she didn't get her own way, she sulked. That's what he was sure she was doing now. However, her reasons for sulking weren't quite as selfish as Jack had presumed. She was worried for her father. She couldn't bear the thought of anything happening to him.

"You coming?" Jack asked as he neared the door of the room, a sheen of perspiration already evident on his brow.

Hanna just shrugged her shoulders and followed him, a frown creasing her forehead. She stood silently as Jack stood at the nurse's station and signed the discharge papers. Nurse Batista had been considerate enough to provide a pack of medications and a prescription for more should he need it. Again she reminded him that if he felt unwell or experienced any of the symptoms listed on his discharge sheet, he was to get to a hospital immediately. Jack grumbled an agreement before walking to the elevator. Hanna followed quietly.

Meanwhile, Martin and Samantha were almost in Binghamton. They had been driving for hours and were tired and hungry. As they approached the outskirts of the town, they passed several motels and truck stops. Martin spied a gas station a little further on with a 7 Eleven attached. They needed gas and coffee, so agreed to stop there.

Unknown to them, their suspect, Brian Donovan, had walked the short distance from his roadside motel to the same store looking to buy some diapers and baby formula. He and Finn were strolling down an aisle of the store when Brian noticed the beautiful blonde getting out of a black sedan at the gas pumps. He was stunned when he realised that it was Samantha. A flutter of panic raced over him when he realised that the agent with her was coming into the store. How did they know he was there, he wondered. He held Finn a little tighter as he tried to think of what to do. A bell dinged as Martin entered the store. He greeted the clerk with a smile. Brian hid at the end of the store, observing Martin's movements. He watched as Martin ordered two coffees and some doughnuts. He saw Samantha walk around the back of the building to the toilets.

He had to do something. He looked around and saw a broom propped against the wall. It gave him an idea. He waited until Martin was paying the cashier and had his back to the aisles. He placed Finn sitting on the floor and then he rushed up behind Martin and stuck the end of the wooden handle uncomfortably into the small of the agent's back.

"Don't move or I'll kill you," Brian threatened persuasively.

Martin immediately raised his hands. He couldn't be sure but to him it felt like the muzzle of a gun in his back. His eyes met those of the cashier, who looked confused more than scared.

"Reach into your jacket and slowly take out your weapon," Brian demanded.

How the hell did he know I had a weapon, Martin wondered, not recognising the voice. Reluctantly he did as his assailant demanded. He extricated his weapon from its holster and held it out from his body. Brian grabbed it roughly from his hands and dropped the broom handle. Hearing the wooden handle hit the ground, Martin felt like an idiot, realising that he had been conned. He turned his head slowly to see who was taking his gun. He couldn't believe his eyes when he recognised the man. He was even more surprised to see little Finn crawling up the aisle behind Donovan.

"Look, Brian….we," Martin started to say until Brian quickly shut him up with a brutal blow with the pistol to the side of his skull.

Martin dropped like a stone. Brian waved the gun at the cashier and shouted at him to stay down and he wouldn't get hurt. He rooted around in Martin's pockets until he found the car keys. Then he returned to his son, picked him up and ran towards the car.

As he neared the car, Samantha was rounding the corner of the building on her way back to the car, having used the toilet facilities. She couldn't believe her eyes. She reached for her weapon.

"Brian!" she called. "Stop!" aiming the weapon in his direction.

Brian stopped. He turned and looked at her, placing his son between him and Samantha. The look in his eyes chilled her. This wasn't the man she once knew, of that she was now sure. It was then that he showed her that he too had a weapon.

"Put it down, Sam," he yelled. "I don't want to shoot you, but I will if I have to."

"Please, Brian," she pleaded. "Don't hurt him."

"Hurt him? I'm not going to hurt him. He's my son," Brian told her.

"Give him to me," Sam pleaded. "Please. Take the car, but leave Finn with me."

Brian shook his head, discounting the suggestion straight away.

"He's my son, Sam, and he's coming with me. If you want to be with him, put down your gun and get in the car, now," Brian told her.

Sam weighed up her options. It wasn't like she had many. Neither of them was exactly appealing but her eyes rested on her tiny little boy, who clung to his father, oblivious to the drama unfolding. His innocent smile melted her heart and she couldn't imagine life without him. Her decision was made. She put down her gun and walked towards Brian and her son. She put her arms out to take Finn, but Brian ordered her into the driver's seat, opening the door and shoving her in.

"You drive."

Samantha didn't argue. She sat into the driver's seat while Brian sat into the rear seat behind her. He buckled Finn into the back sea,t even though he was way too small to be secure without a baby seat. Sam looked back anxiously at the toddler as he cooed and squirmed in the seat.

"Where are we going?" Sam asked as she started the engine.

"Take a right," Brian ordered as she approached the main road.

Truth be known, he had no idea where they were headed, but they couldn't stick around there.

**_TBC_**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Back at FBI Headquarters, Danny Taylor stood with his mouth wide open in disbelief as he observed his disheveled boss exit the elevator accompanied by his daughter. He couldn't quite believe his eyes. He had heard Elena describe his injuries, which to him sounded quite serious. Seeing the drawn and bruised figure approaching him, he was left in no doubt that Jack should not be out of the hospital, let alone be at work.

"Jack!" he said, unable to disguise his astonishment.

"Hey, Danny," Jack said wearily as he reached the young Latino. "Any news on Finn?" he asked, getting straight to the point.

"Should you be here?" Danny asked, unintentionally ignoring his question.

"No, he shouldn't," Hanna interjected crossly from behind her dad. Danny looked at her, surprised by her fury, and then turned back to Jack.

"I told you, I'm fine," Jack retorted. "So… any word?" Jack asked again.

"Eh, well, Martin and Sam are following a lead upstate in Binghamton. We think Donovan got off a bus up there," Danny explained as he followed Jack through to the bullpen.

Again, Jack's arrival, not to mention his battered appearance and unusual attire, drew stunned looks from staff around the office. Vivian and Elena were sitting at their desks working, and stopped what they were doing when they saw him approach.

"Madre Dio," Elena exclaimed in dismay. "What are you doing here?"

"Goodness, Jack, sit down before you fall down," Vivian insisted as she stood and pushed her chair towards him. "Are you out of your mind? You look terrible."

"Oh, gee, thanks!" Jack replied, feigning offence but gratefully accepting the chair.

"I can't believe they let you leave the hospital," Vivian said, still understandably surprised.

"They didn't," Hanna piped up brazenly once more.

The women exchanged querying glances before Hanna's words registered with them.

"AMA, Jack? Are you out of your mind?" Elena asked, not at all worried about speaking inappropriately to her boss but genuinely concerned for his well-being.

Jack shook his head, not in the mood for defending his decision. He had one killer headache and didn't plan on getting into a debate about his health with any of them. So choosing to ignore their concerned looks and questions, he asked;:

"Have you heard from Martin and Samantha lately?"

"Martin called an hour ago. They were almost in Binghamton," Vivian told him.

"Anything else?" Jack wondered.

"No, once they arrive they're meeting with the Broome County PD and they will start enquiries at all hotels and motels in the area," Viv told him. "Jack, there's really nothing you can do here. Go home and we'll call if we hear anything."

"Thanks but I'd rather stay. I'll wait in my office. Come get me if you hear anything," he said, standing up slowly and carefully, using the desk as support.

Hanna followed him, still annoyed, as he made his way to his office. He flopped heavily onto the sofa and released what sounded like a sigh of relief. It was a mixture of relief and exhaustion.

"Can I get you anything?" Hanna asked, concern replacing her annoyance.

"Some water would be good," Jack said, feeling guilty for putting his daughter through all this anguish. "I'd better do as Nurse Batista ordered and take my pills," he said, hoping that she might mellow a little, knowing that he was at least taking his medication.

He sat back and waited for her to return with the water. He knew that there was little else he could do. She returned and he took his meds and tried to ignore her grumbles and rest a little.

They weren't long waiting when Danny Taylor knocked on the door and told him that there were two detectives looking to take his statement about the assault. Jack was far from in the mood for making a statement, but he also knew it had to be done. It would also help pass the time, he thought. He told Danny to show them in.

Detectives Kellerman and Quincy entered his office and introduced themselves.

"We called to the hospital and they said that you'd left," Kellerman said, looking around the senior agent's office, suitably impressed by the diplomas and commendations on the wall.

"I have work to do," Jack told them, letting it be known that he was a busy man.

"I understand," Quincy said, taking a seat without being offered. "This shouldn't take long. Would you rather do this in private?" he asked, looking towards Jack's daughter.

"It's okay," Jack replied, glancing towards Hanna. "She can stay."

"Up to you," Quincy shrugged, taking out his notebook and pen.

"So, you and Agent Spade, how long have you two been….you know?" Quincy asked.

Jack sat forward, instantly on the defensive. Immediately, he took a dislike to the detective. How dare he ask such a personal question? It was none of his business.

"Know what?" Jack asked, determined to make him say it.

"You know, sleeping together," Quincy replied with a hint of sleaze.

"That's none of your business," Jack said angrily with fire in his eyes.

"Well, it is our business, Agent Malone, because you were assaulted by persons unknown in the home of Agent Spade," Kellerman interrupted. "It is obvious that you two have a relationship that goes beyond professional. So what happened? Did she have another guy's kid and then come crawling back, expecting you to play daddy. That had to hurt. So what happened yesterday? Did you fight? Did she hit you?"

Jack was stunned, almost beyond the point of answering. He just couldn't believe how wrong they had got it. Were they seriously sitting there accusing Samantha of assaulting him? As the ridiculousness of that thought coursed through his brain, he started to laugh aloud, which surprised the two detectives and his daughter.

"You find that funny, Agent Malone?" Kellerman asked seriously. Jack's laughter only became more uncontrolled. It took him a minute to compose himself.

"Em, guys, you need to get with the program here," Jack said, smirking broadly. "Have you even checked this morning's BOLO's. We've issued a warrant for the arrest of Brian Donovan, that would be Agent Spade's ex, the guy who clocked me, for suspected kidnapping and attempted murder of a federal officer. In fact, two of my agents have followed him upstate. In case I need to spell it out for you two….detectives, Donovan assaulted me, not Agent Spade. I think we're done here. You can show yourselves out."

The two detectives stood up slowly and skulked out of the office with their tails between their legs, feeling incredibly foolish and suitably embarrassed. Jack and Hanna exchanged telling smiles as they watched them leave. Hanna was impressed by how easily her father had dealt with them and admired his unorthodox yet effective methods. For an old man, he was pretty cool, she thought.

Meanwhile, in the gas station in Binghamton, the cashier was kneeling over the downed agent, Martin Fitzgerald, trying to check if he was all right. Slapping him gently on the cheeks, he came around quite quickly and sat up with urgency, rubbing his head.

"Are you all right, man?" the cashier asked.

"Son-of-a-bitch!" Martin exclaimed, furious with Donovan and even more furious with himself.

He knew there would be hell to pay having accidentally located the missing child and then allowing himself to be overpowered by Donovan. Worse still, Donovan now had his service weapon. He was going to have some explaining to do to his superiors, not to mention to Samantha. He stood up, holding the back of his neck and probing the rising lump. He looked out to the forecourt, hoping to see Samantha, but there was no sign of her. His town car was also missing.

"My partner….have you seen her?" Martin asked the cashier anxiously, a feeling of dread growing steadily within.

"Good looking blonde chick?" he asked.

"Yeah, that's her," Martin replied.

"Man, she got in the car with the dude that whipped you," he told him.

"Ah, God damn it!" Martin yelled, spinning around and thumping the cash desk. This couldn't be happening. "Did you call the cops?" Martin asked the stunned cashier.

"Yeah, man, they're on their way," he replied.

"Good. Did you see which way they went?" Martin asked, trying to keep some semblance of professionalism.

"Eh, turned north towards town," the cashier told him.

"Thanks," Martin said, as he withdrew his cell phone from his pocket and made an unenviable call to the office.

"Yeah, Johnson," Vivian replied as she answered her phone.

"Hey, Viv," he said sounding hesitant. "Em, Viv, I screwed up."

"What? What's wrong, Martin?" Viv asked, her unease growing.

"He's got Sam," Martin blurted out.

"Sorry? What are you talking about? Who's got Sam?" Viv asked thoroughly confused.

"Donovan. God damn it!" Martin exclaimed once more, still unable to bury his frustration. "The son-of-a-bitch jumped me at a gas station. He took my car. I didn't see what happened, but it sounds like Sam went voluntarily."

"I don't believe it!" Vivian said, flabbergasted.

She stood, phone to her ear and hand on her head. She looked to the heavens for inspiration. What was Sam thinking? She obviously had her reasons and would only go with him if she felt it was necessary. Then again, the man had her son. How would they handle this? Then inspiration came to her.

"Your car has GPS, hasn't it?" Viv asked, sounding pretty sure.

"Yeah," Martin replied.

"Right, so we can track the car. I'll call you back," Viv said eagerly as she hung up the phone and turned towards Danny and Elena.

"He's got Sam," she told them without elaborating.

But she didn't need to elaborate. Her statement said it all.

"I'd better let Jack know," she sighed, knowing he would be furious.

Danny and Elena watched as Vivian marched with assertion towards Jack's office. This news was the last thing that he would want to hear. She paused outside the glass door of his office, observing him as he sat on the sofa with his feet up and his head back, his fingers massaging his temples. He looked dreadfully pale and she had no doubt that he should still be in the hospital. Hanna sat behind her father's desk, texting some unknown friend.

She proceeded to knock and let herself in.

"Jack," she said, announcing her arrival.

"Hey, Viv, come on in," he said, straightening up and taking his feet from the sofa. "Have you heard something?"

Vivian's face looked stern and serious. Jack began to sense that what she had to say was not going to be good.

"Martin called," she said, looking him straight in the face. "Donovan has Samantha."

Jack looked at her, his face scrunched up with confusion. His eyes widened and he looked at her more intensely.

"I'm sorry. I thought you said Donovan had Sam," Jack said, shaking his head as if to clear it.

"You heard correctly, Jack," Vivian confirmed. "He overpowered Martin at a gas station and took his car. I don't have any other details."

Jack got to his feet, swaying slightly as he did so. He felt sick to his stomach. He paced around his desk with his hand unconsciously rubbing his forehead, desperately trying to make sense of it all.

_How the hell could this happen? Martin has a whole lot of explaining to do. If anything happens to her…_

He couldn't think straight. He looked over at his daughter. He knew what he had to do, but he could also tell that it would disappoint and worry her. But sitting in his office waiting for this drama to unfold was not going to work for him.

"Hanna, I have to go," he said, praying she would understand.

"Daddy?" she said, unable to conceal her fear.

"Please understand, I have to do this," Jack said, looking his daughter in the eye. "Sam and Finn need me."

Hanna looked at him, wanting to stop him, wanting to scream at him that she needed him too. But she knew it would do no good and only act to make him feel worse than he did already. So she nodded, her silence not meant to ease or intensify his guilt. He looked lovingly at her, gently touching her face, a gesture of thanks and of pride.

"No point staying here then," she said, putting her bag on her shoulder. "I'll be at home."

Jack kissed her on the check and gave her cab fare.

"Bring them home, Dad," Hanna said as she left for home.

Once she was gone, Jack turned to Vivian.

"Where are we on this?" he asked with zeal.

"I was just heading to the tech room. Martin's car has a GPS locator on it. We should be able to get a location pretty quickly," Viv told him.

"Right, let's check it out and have a chopper on standby," he said, as he followed her to the tech room. "We'll get there as soon as possible."

**_A/N - I know, I know...a major coincidence, bumping into Brian at the gas station. But coincidences happen, don't they, kinda, sorta?_**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

As they drove, Brian Donovan looked anxiously behind him, trying to determine if they were being followed. He held Martin's weapon in one hand while his free hand rested against his son's chest as he did what he could to prevent the youngster from toppling as the car moved. Finn sat on the back seat, the lap strap of the seatbelt across his tiny torso, the shoulder strap too big to hold him safely. Sam looked over her shoulder anxiously, only able to see the danger her son was in and unconcerned for anything else.

"Where are we going?" she asked Brian, the vehemence in her voice telling him she was pissed off and ready for a fight.

"Shut up and keep driving," he retorted. "I need to think."

"Need to think?" Sam laughed. "It's a bit friggin' late for that!"

Donovan glared at her, a surge of rage rising in his chest. He raised the weapon in his hand and was about to hit her with it when he realized what he was doing and stopped himself.

_Jesus, what's wrong with me? I'm not this person. _

He was overcome with a feeling of self-loathing. What had he become? For a guy who a year ago never even had a speeding ticket, his life was now unrecognisable. He had turned into a pill-popping abuser, a murderer and a kidnapper. Whatever way he looked at it, he was screwed.

Samantha continued to drive until Brian told her to take a right off the main road. She didn't even challenge him. There was no point. She would just do as he said and try and get him to see sense. Her goal was to get her son home safely and she would do whatever it took to ensure that happened.

Back at the gas station, Martin was talking to the local sheriff, trying to explain his reasons firstly, for being on his turf and then trying to explain what had happened. It all seemed a bit unorthodox to the sheriff, but he was willing to give the young agent the benefit of the doubt. He agreed to allow Martin ride with one of his officers and to follow the perpetrator. The plan was to co-ordinate with the FBI, pursue the car and eventually stop it.

On the roof of the FBI building, Vivian and Jack prepared to board the waiting helicopter.

"Are you sure you're up to this?" Vivian shouted loudly, to ensure she could be heard above the noise of the rotors. "I can get Danny to come with me."

"No, I'm fine," Jack insisted. "Let's go."

The pair continued to the black unmarked helicopter, crouching low to avoid the rotor blades. They climbed on board and both donned headphones so they could communicate above the noise. Jack was extra careful as he put on his headphones, gently resting the band of the headphones on his delicate skull and avoiding his stitched scalp. He noticed Vivian watching him with concern. For her benefit, he gave a thumbs-up sign. Within minutes they were in the air and heading northeast in the direction on Binghamton.

They received constant updates from the tech room via their headsets and a laptop that they had provided for them. They were able to virtually track the movements of the car in question and monitor any changes in direction. Technical Support was also in direct contact with the sheriff's control room, who in turn relayed instructions and information to their deputy and Special Agent Fitzgerald on the ground.

"We need to stay back and not force Donovan's hand. We don't know what he's capable of," Jack yelled unnecessarily into the microphone for Viv's benefit.

"I agree. I'll tell the sheriff's department to keep their cars at a safe distance," Viv decided.

Jack nodded his approval. He tried to appear as though he was on top of things, like this was just another case, but inside he was in pieces. He feared for the outcome of their pursuit. From experience, he knew that there was seldom a happy ending in such instances. All it took was a wrong word or a trigger-happy cop to produce a disastrous outcome. As much as he hated to allow him the upper hand, right now Donovan held all the cards. He had hostages, so this would have to be done his way. Jack had experience of hostage negotiations in the past, some successful and some not so, but he prayed that he could direct this particular one to a successful outcome. He tried to distance himself from the emotion of the situation. He couldn't allow his feelings for Samantha and Finn to get in the way of him doing his job. Emotions would only be a distraction. He already had enough of those. His head was pounding and as he looked at the laptop, his vision was blurring again. He decided now would not be the best time to bring that up. This wasn't going to be easy, but Sam and Finn were counting on him to bring them home.

Back in the sheriff's car, Martin was in radio contact with Broome County PD's Control Centre . He and Deputy Lowe were about 15 kilometres from Donovan's position. They were continuing at high speed, slowly reeling in the distance between them.

"They've turned off the I-86 onto Oakdale Road heading north," Martin repeated, having just been told this by control.

He looked over at Lowe, who was concentrating hard on his driving and impressing the agent with his skills. Martin felt helpless, sitting in the passenger seat, giving instructions to the young deputy. He felt the weight of the world resting on his shoulders. He had just found out that Jack and Viv were on a helicopter and heading their way. Besides being shocked that Jack was back at work so soon, he also had to prepare himself for the tongue-lashing he would no doubt receive. He had really dropped the ball on this one. Sam and Finn were in unimaginable danger and he could have prevented it. Guilt consumed him.

Today had been one of the days he would rather forget. Unfortunately, throughout his career, Martin had a few of those disaster days but he always seemed to recover from his mistake or cope with the results. He hoped that this disastrous day would at least have a happy ending. He couldn't allow himself think of any other outcome.

Samantha checked the rear view mirror, hoping to see a car tailing them, waiting to make a move. But to her disappointment, she could see nothing. Brian sat back in silence, keeping a watchful eye on his son as he tugged playfully at the safety belt. Every now and again, he would catch Samantha's eye as she checked the mirror.

"No one's coming, you know," he taunted cruelly.

"Brian, we have to stop this. We have to go back," Sam said calmly, hoping to make him see sense.

"Go back? To what? I killed a federal agent. That's the death penalty," Brian answered, his tone revealing how scared he actually was. "No, this is the only way. We can get to Canada, start over."

"Brian, you didn't kill anyone. Jack's alive," Samantha told him, hoping to convince him.

"You're just saying that to get me to change my mind," Brian replied. "I was there, remember?"

"You could have killed him, but you didn't. You fractured his skull, but he's alive….and pretty mad at you," Sam told him.

"Yeah? Well…..I wish I had killed him," Brian said heartlessly. "If it wasn't for him, we'd still be together."

"You know that's not true, Brian," Sam replied. "You changed. I didn't want to be with a man whose answer to disagreements was to hit me."

Her words struck a chord with Brian. He felt ashamed. He looked at his little boy, who sat reaching for his dad, oblivious to their conversation. He loved that child so much. He couldn't bear to lose him. He hated himself for hurting his mom.

"Just….. keep driving," he said eventually.

Sam did as she was told. As they left the suburbs of the town, the road narrowed and their surrounds became more rural. Soon they found themselves on a country road with grass shoulders. On one side of the road was a glassy lake and the other was dotted with trees and shrubbery and the occasional house. It was quite picturesque Sam thought as she continued along the road. She was deliberately not driving very fast, as the road was unsuitable for such driving. She tried to imagine what was going to happen to her and her son. In a couple of hours they could be at the Canadian border. She wondered how Brian planned to get across, especially considering that they had no passports and he was a wanted man. She hoped he wouldn't do anything stupid.

Back on the helicopter, the pilot's voice came through Jack's headset.

"Sir, we're about five miles south of the vehicle's position. How close do you want to get?" he asked.

"Take us close enough to get a visual," Jack replied, glancing quickly towards Viv, who nodded in agreement.

"No problem," the pilot replied.

Within minutes, Jack and Vivian could see the black town car, winding its way along the shore road. He looked at the online map on the laptop. About ten miles further on, there was an intersection. It would be a good place for a roadblock. He immediately contacted Broome County and enquired of the possibility of this. They agreed to send some cars but weren't able to guarantee if they'd make it on time. It wasn't what Jack wanted to hear and he tried to convey the importance of them intercepting the car there. They agreed, but it all boiled down to timing. Coordinating such things was difficult in rural areas.

"Hang back a little," Jack advised the pilot. "Don't want him to make us. Let's just keep an eye on him for a while."

Jack observed the car through binoculars. He couldn't be sure but thought he could see Samantha in the driver's seat. He hoped that was the case. At least it gave Samantha some form of control and would hopefully prevent Brian concluding this saga with a suicidal act. It also gave him hope that she wouldn't try to run the roadblock and that the drama should end there.

However, as he watched through the binoculars, his attention was drawn towards a larger vehicle that was approaching their car in the opposite direction. It was a silver SUV that was towing a boat on a trailer behind it. It was considerably wider than the SUV and took over most of the road. Watching as it descended the slight hill along the lake edge, Jack realized that something wasn't quite right. The vehicle and the trailer moved peculiarly. He couldn't quite figure what it was. It was only when he noticed the boat trailer start to overtake the SUV that he realized what was happening. The trailer had come loose and was out of control.

"Shit!" he exclaimed as he watched helplessly as the trailer continued down the hill, gathering momentum as it did so.

"What is it?" Viv asked anxiously.

She looked at Jack and then leaned over his lap to see out the window on his side. They were still a way back and she couldn't make out very much at that distance.

"It's gonna hit them," Jack said, watching as the catastrophe unfolded before his eyes.

He could see the black town car climb the ascent slowly, oblivious to the danger that was stalking them.

"Radio their car, now!" Jack ordered the pilot, knowing in his heart that it was useless. There was no time. There was nothing anyone could do.

In the sedan, Sam was concentrating on the road as it rose in front of them. The afternoon sun shimmered on the mirror-like lake to their right. She was about to comment on its beauty to Brian when suddenly the bow of a large boat was looming down on her. It came from nowhere. She reacted as anyone would and tried to avoid a collision with the runaway trailer. Brian barely had time to react. He saw the white hull and instinctively reached for his son, using his strength and his body to protect him. The car swerved violently to the edge of the road, but there was nowhere to go. The trailer smashed into the driver's side of the car, forcing it off the road. Sam fought hard to maintain control, but the wheels lost all traction on the gravel and the car slid down an embankment before it turned over on its side. As the car tumbled, Samantha's only concern was her son. Eventually the car came to rest on its roof on the lakeshore.

The boat trailer continued for a few more metres before coming to a crushing halt in a bank of trees and rocks.

Jack was stunned. This couldn't be happening.

_**A/N - couldn't resist a little cliffie. Hope u can survive for another few days. Will update Sunday.**_


	10. Chapter 10

**_A/N - Thanks to everyone who reviewed and read. Thanks for all the encouragement. Special thanks to my fab Beta (you know who you are)! Apologies for the wait...now let's wrap this one up!_**

**Chapter 10**

The passengers in the helicopter could only watch in horror as events unfolded ahead of them. Jack could hardly breathe as he watched the car snake out of control along the road before skidding down the embankment and ultimately flipping. It ended up upside down on the stony beach. He just stared incomprehensibly at the scene. The rest of the world seemed to evaporate. White noise engulfed him. He didn't hear the pilot as he radioed for the emergency services to attend the scene. Neither did he hear Vivian give the pilot an order to land the helicopter as close as they could to the accident site. He couldn't take his eyes off of the wreck as the chopper descended. Its wheels continued to spin as steam rose from the crushed hood. Jack willed for Samantha to get out of the wreck, but there was no movement as far as he could see.

A couple of miles back, Martin Fitzgerald heard the emergency call over the radio. He felt sick. He told the sheriff's deputy to put his foot down. The pair sped towards the scene, Martin afraid of what he'd find.

The helicopter touched down a hundred metres or so further up the pebble beach. Jack couldn't take his eyes off the car wreck. Vivian was out of the chopper and on her way to the wreck before she turned back, surprised that Jack wasn't following her. Jack looked like he was in shock. Vivian ran back, opened the door beside him and yelled at him while she pulled off his headset.

"Jack! Jack! Come on!" she yelled, instantly snapping him out of it.

He climbed out of the helicopter and followed as Vivian ran towards the overturned vehicle. She ran around to the driver's door and balked momentarily as the blood-covered hand of her colleague protruded from the smashed window. She knelt down and placed her fingers on Samantha's neck to check for a pulse. Simultaneously, Jack bent down onto his knees and looked into the back of the car. Donovan was lying on the crumpled roof, his body twisted in an unnatural position, eyes staring blankly, obviously deceased. But Jack didn't really care. He couldn't take his eyes off Finn. He too was lying on the glass-strewn roof, eyes closed, his father's limp hand cradling him. There wasn't a mark on him, but Jack could tell that he too was gone. He glanced at Vivian who, with tears in her eyes, somberly shook her head.

"No!"

In that instant, Jack's world disintegrated.

The first thing Jack heard was voices, whispering around him as he groggily opened his eyes. It felt like a herd of elephants were tap dancing in his brain. An excited voice could be heard above the pounding, announcing his attempt to open his eyes.

"He's waking up!"

It was Hanna, his Hanna. He was confused. _What was she doing here_?

She leaned in close and smiled broadly, taking his hand in hers. Eventually his eyes adjusted to the light. The white ceiling, bland walls, sterile smell and starched linen helped him reach the conclusion that he was in hospital.

_Not again!_

"Its okay, Daddy," Hanna said, her voice offering the reassurance he sought. "You're going to be okay."

"What…?" Jack tried to ask a question but wasn't exactly sure what question to ask.

"You're in the hospital, Jack," another sultry voice told him.

Pure confusion descended upon him at that point. He recognised the voice and couldn't believe his eyes when he saw the person to whom it belonged. It couldn't be. His heart rate increased noticeably on the cardiac monitor to which he was attached. His breathing altered accordingly.

"Sam?" Jack said, unsure of what was going on. "I thought you were….."

"Sssshh," she said, leaning towards him and brushing a lock of hair affectionately from his forehead. "Welcome back. You had us worried there for a while."

"I don't understand," Jack told her, his voice shaking.

"Brian attacked you, Jack," Sam told him. "You've been unconscious for the last two days," she explained, gently stroking his hair.

"I have?"

"I'm so sorry, Jack. This is all my fault," Sam said, with regret.

Jack was still trying to make sense of it all. The accident, the blood, those vacant eyes; it was all too real. His confusion and distress was evident to all in the room. The nurse whispered to Hanna that it was to be expected and that she shouldn't worry too much at this stage.

"And Finn?" Jack asked, almost afraid of the answer.

"He's fine. Vivian is looking after him for a couple of hours," Sam told him with a wide smile.

"He's okay?"

"He's fine, Jack," Sam reiterated. "Brian was predictable and took him to his apartment. It took a few hours but eventually I convinced him to get the help he needed. He's in Bellevue receiving treatment as we speak."

"He's okay," Jack sighed, tears forming in his eyes. His relief was almost palpable.

Hanna and Sam saw the tears and weren't exactly sure the reason for such raw emotions. They didn't ask.

"And you're okay," he said softly.

"Me? I am now," Samantha replied, her concern peaking.

Jack summoned a smile, which offered her and Hanna some reassurance. It had been an anxious few days. He had given them a scare or two since he had been admitted, but he was back and appeared none the worst for his close call.

"I'd better call Kate," Hanna said, referring to her younger sibling. "She's been so worried about you."

"Tell her I'm fine," Jack said, giving his daughter's hand a gentle squeeze before she pulled it away and left the room.

Once she was gone, Jack looked up at the beautiful blonde who then sat on the edge of his bed.

"I'm so sorry, Sam," he said, his eyes pleading for her forgiveness. "I should have never let him in."

"Don't blame yourself, Jack," Sam replied chastising him. "You weren't to know. I knew for some time that Brian was suffering and I shouldn't have ignored it. I tried to distance myself, you know, pretend it wasn't happening. I was wrong. He's getting the help he needs now, which is what I should have insisted on in the first place."

"You're amazing," Jack declared out of the blue.

"Sorry?"

"It's true. You're the most amazing, strong, beautiful woman I've ever known," he said, pouring his heart out. "You deserve to be happy, Sam. I want to make you happy."

"Jack, that bump on the head must have done more damage than they first thought," Sam said, trying not to take his words too seriously. He wasn't usually the sort to wear his heart on his sleeve. After all, he was only after emerging from a coma. He probably wouldn't remember anything about this conversation in the morning.

"I'm serious, Sam. I don't want to rush into anything, but I want to be there for you and Finn, not just be the babysitter!" he told her.

"You were never just the babysitter," Sam told him. "You're much more, so much more."

"Move in with me," Jack suggested, much to her surprise.

"H'uh?"

"Move in with me."

"I don't know, Jack. There's Finn…and Hanna to think about," Sam said rationally.

"Finn, Hanna, Brian, Maria, one excuse after another," Jack pointed out. "Why not just put you and me out there for a change? We've never been given a chance. I think we deserve one, don't you?"

Sam felt tears well in her eyes. She wasn't sure why. She nodded in agreement. She knew she wanted the same as he wanted. It just frightened her. Declaring their relationship to everyone, making it official scared her. She wondered how it would be greeted in work, how their friends and family would react. Then she realised that she was doing it again: putting other people's opinions ahead of their happiness. Jack was right. They had wasted years tip-toeing around. In that time, she had almost lost him….twice.

He was everything she wanted in a life partner. He was kind, reliable, a good father, a great lover. He ticked all the boxes. Finn loved him and he loved Finn. Timing had always been their problem. Maybe now the time was right?

"Let me think about it," Sam eventually said. "Talk to Hanna. I don't want to make any decision until I know it's what everyone wants."

"Really?" Jack said, taking her maybe to mean yes.

"Okay," she replied, leaning over and placing a sensual kiss on his parched lips.

The rhythm of the heart monitor quickened once more as Jack's body responded to her touch. Sam pulled away slightly, smiling at the obvious physical response. Jack too smiled, shrugging as if to say "can you blame me?"

The dancing herd of elephants disappeared. Things were looking up at last.

**The End**

**A/N - hope you like the Dallas-esque ending. I'm also working on an alternative ending. Haven't decided yet whether its worth posting or not. Give me a few days to decide.**


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